Abstract
The alumina dissolution is one of the main concerns for the stability and efficiency of the electrolysis cells in the Hall-Héroult process. Therefore, to correctly describe this phenomenon, it is necessary to know the diffusivity of alumina in the electrolyte to use mass transfer relations and approximate Fick’s law of diffusion. In this work, a formulation for the molecular diffusivity is proposed to take into account the influence of the different chemistry of each condition on the mobility of dissolved alumina. Then, data obtained by a gravimetric method are correlated to obtain a general formulation of the Sherwood number of alumina discs immersed in a cryolitic bath. Conditions similar to the industrial range were used to produce these data with and without bubbling. Consequently, the different conditions slightly modified the flow around the sample, which needs an accurate description to obtain an optimal relationship. Finally, a discussion explains how this research is relevant for industrial use.
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